In the construction industry, levels are used to ensure that structural members are installed in their exact intended orientations. Some examples of such structural members are vertical and horizontal studs which have to be positioned as close to their respective plumb and level orientations as possible. In some cases, levels are also used to orient studs or other structural members at specific angles. In such situations two people are often involved in the process of stud installation, because one person holds the level against the structural member while the other person adjusts structural-member orientation and secures it in the proper orientation.
Very often a person who works alone needs to gauge a structural member such as a stud for its vertical orientation. This task becomes difficult because the holding on the level and the fastening of the stud typically have to be done simultaneously. Even if a sole worker were able to gauge the stud with one hand while fastening the stud with the other, such task would require an extra physical strain which increases the risk of injury and makes the operation much slower than desired and may still result in inaccurate orientation of the stud.
There have been various devices that have offered certain support for levels against structural members, but such devices have problems or disadvantages rendering them of little use in most situations.
One example of such devices is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,296,708 to Moody. The Moody device, however, is designed for use with walls which have either a plurality of holes therethrough or an apertured mesh such that the Moody device can engage the holes or the mesh apertures to secure the level against the wall. The Moody device would not secure a level to a stud. Furthermore, the Moody device is not usable for securing a level in orientations other than vertical such as holding the level to the bottom of a generally horizontally oriented structural member.
Another example of such devices is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,088,205 to Egbert. The Egbert device requires special manipulation with an adjustable gripping element. Such gripping element, depending on its orientation with respect to an arm, is either freely slidable along the arm or is held in place thereon. The Egbert device requires precise positioning of the gripping element to secure a level against a stud or other object. The level, however, can become easily disengaged from the stud if the gripping element is not in its correct position or if such position changes due to adjustment movements of the level or the stud. Such disengagement would result in unfortunate falling of the level which may become damaged or completely broken.
Yet another example of a device intended for holding a level against a structural member is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,815,937 to Glorioso, Jr. The Glorioso device would not be operable in the intended manner described in the Glorioso patent. More specifically, despite its rather complicated construction the Glorioso device, as shown, would not hold the level against a structural component, at least because spring 146, by virtue of its manner of mounting, would fail to draw the arm against the object to be gauged.
In summary, there is a need for an improved level which is held securely against a stud or other structural member and which overcomes all of the aforementioned problems.